σφόδρα

Ancient Greek

Etymology

Adverbial neuter accusative plural of σφοδρός (sphodrós).

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /spʰó.dra/ → /ˈsɸo.ðra/ → /ˈsfo.ðra/

• (5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /spʰó.dra/
• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /ˈspʰo.dra/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ˈsɸo.ðra/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ˈsfo.ðra/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ˈsfo.ðra/

Adverb

σφόδρα • (sphódra)

1. very, very much: modifies verbs, adjectives, or nouns
   • 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Laws 639b:

     Μέγιλλος: παντάπασίν τινα πονηρὸν λέγεις, καὶ οὐδαμῶς ἀνδρῶν ἄρχοντα ἀλλά τινων σφόδρα γυναικῶν.

     Mégillos: pantápasín tina ponēròn légeis, kaì oudamôs andrôn árkhonta allá tinōn sphódra gunaikôn.

     • 1967, 1968 translation by R.G. Bury

       You are describing an utterly worthless fellow, not a commander of men at all, but of the most womanish of women.

   • 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Laws 731e:

     τὸ δὲ ἀληθείᾳ γε πάντων ἁμαρτημάτων διὰ τὴν σφόδρα ἑαυτοῦ φιλίαν αἴτιον ἑκάστῳ γίγνεται ἑκάστοτε.

     tò dè alētheíāi ge pántōn hamartēmátōn dià tḕn sphódra heautoû philían aítion hekástōi gígnetai hekástote.

     • 1967, 1968 translation by R.G. Bury

       But the truth is that the cause of all sins in every case lies in the person's excessive love of self.

2. σφόδρα γε (sphódra ge), καὶ σφόδρα γε (kaì sphódra ge), or πάνυ γε σφόδρα (pánu ge sphódra) in answer to a question: very much so, definitely
   • 386 BCE – 367 BCE, Plato, Meno 82b:

     Σωκράτης: Ἕλλην μέν ἐστι καὶ ἑλληνίζει;
     Μένων: πάνυ γε σφόδρα, οἰκογενής γε.

     Sōkrátēs: Héllēn mén esti kaì hellēnízei?
     Ménōn: pánu ge sphódra, oikogenḗs ge.

     Socrates: Is [the slave boy] a Greek and speaks Greek?
     Meno: Very much so, in fact home-bred.